Dispensing container closure



y 1961 E. GRONEMEYER 2,990,980

DISPENSING CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Aug. 11, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. ERICH GRONEMEYER ATTORNEY July 4, 1961 EJGRONEMEYER 2,990,980

- DISPENSING CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Aug. 11, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

ERICH GRONEMEYER BY 2| W UM ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,990,980DISPENSING CONTAINER CLOSURE Erich Gronemeyer, "Pompton Plains, NJ.,assignor to Container (lorporation of America, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 754,352 Claims.(Cl. 222-536) This invention relates to a dispensing closure for acontainer, and to a container incorporating such closure. Thedispensingclosure of the invention is particularly of advantage when employed witha container of the squeeze bottle type, although it is obviously notlimited to such use.

Many products such as detergents, shampoos, deodorants, and the like arenow sold in large volume in resilient, flexible-walled containers, made,for example, of polyethylene, from which the product may be dispensed bysqueezing the container, while the closure therefor is Such packaging isadvantageous for several open. reasons: the containers arenon-breakable, and may readily be made in a great variety of shapes andcolors; use of the container to dispense the desired amount of productis easy, particularly when the container is provided with a captiveselectively operated closure.

Since squeeze containers are ordinarily filled a considerable distancefrom their points of sale and use, and are shipped and stored in volume,it is necessary that the closure, as applied after the filling of thecontainer, be capable of withstanding relatively high internal pressuresto prevent leakage of the contents of the containers during theirshipment and storage and before their sale. It is also necessary, ofcourse, when the contents of the container are subject to evaporation,that the closure ordinarily employed on the container in the home shallprevent the leakage of any of the container contents.

The requirement that the closure shall prevent the escape of liquid andgas from the container leads to serious difiiculties in containers ofthe squeeze bottle type. Many of such containers readily partiallycollapse under external forces, so much so that when atmosphericpressure appreciably exceeds the pressure within the container, thesides of the container tend to bend or buckle inwardly. As a result,perfectly good, unused squeeze containers may, under certain conditionsof atmospheric pressure, assume a dented, damaged appearance. When thisoccurs While the containers are still on the shelf of the store, thecontainers are very likely to be unsaleable. Excesses in the internalpressures of squeeze containers, on the other hand, such as are causedby normal atmospheric pressure variations, merely tend to bulge thecontainers slightly, if at all, and do not deleteriously atfect theirappearance.

The closure of the present invention overcomes the above outlineddifliculties-attendant upon the use of conventional closures. Theclosure of the invention is of such construction that when closedagainst the escape of the contents of the container it admits air intothe container, as required, substantially to equalize the pressuresexisting inside and outside the container. As a consequence, when suchclosure is employed on a squeeze container, changes in atmosphericpressure do not tend to bend or buckle the sides of the containerinwardly.

The invention has among its objects the provision of a novel containerclosure.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a containerclosure which, when in closed position, admits air into the interior ofthe container when the pressure of the atmosphere appreciably exceedsthe pressure within the container.

Yet another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novelcontainer closure of the captive, dispensing type which admits air intothe interior of the 2,990,989 Patented July 4, 1961 container, under theconditions specified immediately above, when the closure is in closedposition.

V A still further object is the provision of a selectively closedcontainer having a means incorporated therein for admitting airthereinto, under the specified conditions, when the container is closedagainst the escape of its contents.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention willmore fully appear from the following description when the same is readin connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be expresslyunderstood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration only and are not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe invention.

.In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout the several views,

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a first illustrative embodiment ofclosure mounted on a fragmentarily shown squeeze container, the closurebeing shown in closed position;

FIG. 2 is a view in plan of the container and closure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in longitudinal axial section through the closure ofFIGS. 1 and 2, the section being taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but with the closure in openposition;

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical transverse section through the closure inclosed position, the section being taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view in bottom plan of the closure, the closure being in theclosed position of FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 5; and

FIG. 7 is a view in vertical axial section, similar to FIG. 3, of asecond illustrative embodiment of closure made in accordance with theinvention.

Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 6, inclusive, illustrate a firstembodiment of closure made in accordance with the invention; FIG. 7shows a second embodiment of such closure.

The closure of FIGS. 1 to 6, inclusive, is generally designated by thereference character 10. Such closure is shown in FIG. 1 attached to afragmentarily shown squeeze container 11. Such container has a rigidmetal top 12, to which the closure is attached, and flexible plasticside walls of which a portion is shown at 14.:

The closure 10 shown is of the captive, selectively open and closedtype, the closure when in the closed position, shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3,5, and 6, effectively preventing the escape of the contents of thecontainer. When the closure is open, as shown in FIG. 4, thecontents ofthe container may be dispensed through nozzle 35 of the closure.

The body of the closure is generally designated by the referencecharacter 15. Such body is preferably molded of a resilient plasticmaterial, of which polyethylene is an example. Body 15 has a lower,circular hollow portion 16 having a vertical passage 18 therein, portion16 being bounded by a horizontal, annular, outwardly projecting flange17. Portion 16 is designed to be introduced into a hole 19 in top 12 ofthe container, a shallow, annular, outwardly projecting rib 20 onportion 16 being adapted to lie outwardly of and beneath the edge ofhole 19. The lower edge of portion 16 has a plurality of spaced notches21 therein, to allow portion 16 to yield Above portion 16 the body 15 ofthe closure has a flat horizontal platform or partition 22 the uppersurface of which-lies at the same level as the upper surface of flange17. Rising vertically from platform 22, at equal distances from thecenter thereof, are two parallel flat side walls 24 of a closureelement-retaining structure. The walls 24 may be braced, if desired, byoppositely disposed fins 25 integral with platform 22 and the sidewalls. The closure element-retaining structure is completed by parallelwalls 26 and 27 connected to the respective confronting ends of sidewalls 24.

End wall 29 has an inwardly concave part circular cylindrical seatportion 29 in its inner wall, the end'wall 27 having a similar seatportion 30 facing in the opposite direction. Seat portions 29 and 30serve sealingly to retain a generally disc-shaped closure element 31therebetween, by engaging the circular cylindrical surface 32 of suchelement, element 31 being rotatable in such seat portions between theclosure closed position of FIG. 3, in which the vertical passage 18 inbody 15 and passage 34 in element 31 are shut ofi from communicationwith each other, and the closure open position of FIG. 4, in whichpassages 18 and 34 are in communication with each other.

Closure element 31 is preferably made of a plastic material, such aspolyethylene. Element 31, which has flat opposite side surfaces, is ofsuch width as sealingly to engage the inner surfaces of side walls 24.Body 15 and element 31 are molded separately, and are then assembled bysnapping element 31 into the seat in body 15. A diametrically extendingdispensing passage 34 passes through element 31, the outer end of thepassage extending through an outwardly projecting spout 35 on theclosure element. The closure element 31 is stopped in its closedposition (FIG. 3) by engagement between a shoulder 36 thereon at theright of nozzle 35 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and the upper edge 37 of end wall 26of body 15 of the closure. The closure element is stopped in its openposition (FIG. 4) by engagement between a shoulder 39 on top of theelement, and spaced somewhat to the left of nozzle 35, and the upperedge 40 of end wall 27 of body 15.

In the illustrative embodiment, a thin, resilient diaphragm or finmember 41, integral with body 15 of the closure, cooperates with theportion of the lower surface of closure element 31 surrounding the innerend of passage 34, when the element is in closed position, both to sealthe passage against the escape of the contents of the container, and toallow the entry of air into thecontainer when the atmospheric pressureappreciably exceeds the pressure within the container. Diaphragm 41 isshown with its thickness somewhat exaggerated for clarity ofillustration.

The upper curved surface of diaphragm 41 forms an extension of seat 30in end wall 27 of body 15. The diaphragm has a thickness, for example,on the order of .005", and preferably has its free edge 42 tapered to afeather edge. The diaphragm is integrally attached at its root to body15, and is integrally connected at its ends 44 to the side walls 24 ofthe closure element retaining structure. Thus the diaphragm isaccurately supported for sealing engagement over its entire uppersurface with surface 32 of the closure element when the closure is in anormal unstressed condition. The diaphragm has such circumferentialwidth, and the parts are so dimensioned and arranged, that when closureelement 31 is in the closed position of FIG. 3 the diaphragm 41 coversthe inner end of passage 34, and extends substantial distances laterallyand inwardly past such end of the passage (FIG. 6). The inner edge 42 ofthe diaphragm lies markedly short of the axis of the closure, so thatwhen element 31 is turned into the position of FIG. 4 the inner end ofpassage 34 completely clears the diaphragm.

When the pressure within the container exceeds the pressure of theatmosphere, with the closure in closed position, the pressure within thecontainer presses diaphragm 41 with increased force against the portionof surface 32 of the element surrounding passage 34. Thus ,4 anincreased pressure within the container serves to seal the closure moretightly.

In such closed position of the closure the diaphragm 41 and the surface32 of element 31 function automatically to admit air into the containerwhen the pressure of the atmosphere appreciably exceeds the pressurewithin the container. The diaphragm is thin and resiliently flexible.Even a slight excess of atmospheric over container pressure causes thepontion of the diaphragm which covers passage 34 to be biaseddownwardly, because of the unbalance of forces acting upon it. Thiscauses the diaphragm to be relieved, at least locally, sufficiently fromsealing contact with surface 32 to allow the pressure within thecontainer to equal atmospheric pressure. Even a slow equalization ofpressure is satisfactory, since changes in atmospheric pressure areusually relatively slow. Thus to equalize pressures, as described, thediaphragm need be relieved only very slightly in any zone thereofestablishing communication between passage 34 and the interior of thecontainer.

In FIG. 7 there is shown a second preferred embodiment of containerclosure made in accordance with the invention. Such closure isdesignated 10'. Parts of closure 10' which are the same as those of thepreviously described closure 10 are designated by the same referencecharacters. Parts in closure 10' which are in the main similar to, butdiffer somewhat from, those in closure 10 are designated by the samereference characters with an added prime.

Closure 10 is shown in FIG. 7 in a first closed position. Such closurediffers from closure 10 in that the former has two closed positionsrather than one, and that it includes means which supplements thefrictional engagement of the parts selectively to hold the closureelement stably in a desired position.

To provide closure 10' with two closed positions of the closure element,one on either side of the central open position, the closure element hasshoulder 39' thereon positioned the same distance from nozzle 35 as theother shoulder 36. Thus the closure element may also be swungcounterclockwise in its seat into a second closed position in whichshoulder 39' engages upper edge 40 of end wall 27'. A second diaphragm45, similar in function and in structure in all respects exceptorientation to diaphragm 41, is integrally connected to end wall 26'.Diaphragm 45 underlies the inner end of passage 34 and functionstherewith to close the container against the escape of its contents, andto admit air to the container, when the closure element is in its secondclosed position.

To retain the closure element 31' stably in a desired position,cooperating projections and depressions may be provided on confrontingsurfaces of the closure element and the element-retaining structure ofthe body 15. In the embodiment shown, the closure element is stably heldin its open position by shallow rounded projections 46 and 49 which matewith depressions 47 and 50, respectively, when the closure element is inclosed position. The projection which lies within its respective seatsurface when the closure element is turned to a closed position aids infrictionally retaining the element in such position. If desired, theseat portion or portions may also-be provided with shallow depressionsreceiving the projections when the closure element is in closedposition.

Although only a limited number of embodiments of the invention have beenillustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoingspecification, it is to be expressly understood that various changes,such as in the relative dimensions of the parts, materials used, and thelike, as well as the suggested manner of use of the apparatus of theinvention, may be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as will now be apparent to those skilled in theart.

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing closure for a container, comprising a closure bodyhaving a first dispensing passage therethrough, said passage having aseat therein, a closure element movably and sealingly mounted in saidseat, the closure element having a second dispensing passagetherethrough, the closure element being movable in the seat from aclosed position in which the passages in the closure body and in theclosure element are out of communication to an open position in whichsaid passages are in communication, and an air-admitting check valve inthe closure formed by selectively confronting portions of the closurebody and the movable closure element, said check valve selectivelyopening and closing the passage through the closure element to theadmission of air, said check valve being inoperative when the closureelement is in open position to permit the dispensing of the contents ofthe container, said check valve being operative when the closure elementis in closed position to prevent the dispensing of the contents of thecontainer.

2. A dispensing closure for a container, comprising a closure bodyhaving a first dispensing passage therethrough, said passage having aseat therein, a closure element movably and sealingly mounted in saidseat, the closure element having a second dispensing passagetherethrough, the closure element being movable in the seat from aclosed position in which the passages in the closure body and in theclosure element are out of communication to an open position in whichsaid passages are in communication, and an air-admitting check valve inthe closure formed by selectively confronting portions of the closurebody and the movable closure element, said check valve being soconstructed and arranged that when the closure element is in closedposition the said portions of the closure body and closure elementconfront each other to render the check valve operative, and that whenthe closure element is in open position the said portions of the closurebody and closure element are out of alignment with each other and thecheck-valve is closed and inoperative.

3. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 2, wherein one of the cheekvalve-forming portions is an annular seat-forming surface on the closureelement surrounding the inner end of the passage through the closureelement, and the other check-valve forming portionis a resilientlyyieldable part connected to the closure body and selectively overlyingthe seat-forming surface on the closure element.

4. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the resilientlyyieldable part is a thin diaphragm member, the inner end of the passagein the closure element is covered by the diaphragm member when theclosure element is in closed position, and the inner end of the passagein the closure element is uncovered by the diaphragm member when theclosure element is in open position.

5. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the closure bodyis made of resilient plastic material, and the diaphragm member isintegral therewith.

6. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the seat is inthe form of part of a surface of revolution, the closure element has aportion mating with the seat, and the closure element may be rotated inthe seat between open and closed positions.

7. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 5, wherein the seat is inthe form of a part of a circular cylinder, the closure element has acircular cylindrical portion mating with the seat, and the closureelement may be rotated about the axis of the seat between open andclosed positions.

8. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the closureelement is generally in the form of a flat disc, the closure body hasvertical parallel side walls which receive the closure elementtherebetween, and the diaphragm member lies beneath the closure elementat one side of the passage through the closure body and at leastsubstantially spans the distance between said side walls of the closurebody.

9. A dispensing closure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the diaphragmmember spans the distance between and is connected to said side walls ofthe closure body.

10. A dispensing closure for a container, comprising a closure bodyhaving a first, dispensing passage therethrou-gh, said passage having aseat therein, a movable closure element separate from the closure bodyand having a second, dispensing passage therethrough, the closureelement being rotatable in the seat from a closed position in which thepassages in the body and element are out of communication to an openposition in which said passages are in communication, and anair-admitting check valve in the closure formed by cooperating portionsof the closure body and the movable closure element, said check valvebeing so constructed and arranged that in closurecl-osed position itsprevents the escape of the contents of the container outwardly throughthe valve but allows the ingress of air when the atmospheric pressureappreciably exceeds the pressure internally of the container, at leastone of said cooperating portions being a resiliently yieldable partconnected to the respective one of said body and element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,963,870 Scott June 19, 1934 2,746,651 Lewis May 22, 1956 2,828,895Mart Apr. 1, 1958 2,851,201 Poitras et al. Sept. 9, 1958

